


Once upon a time: Shadow Princess

by LiskaFly



Series: (my) Once Upon A Time [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:00:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28953093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiskaFly/pseuds/LiskaFly
Summary: Everybody got their happy ending, or as Regina would call it, a happy beginning. But what if there is more to come? Something is lingering in the darkness, in this world or another. And a war is coming for sure. The question is, who is gonna be the savior now?
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Series: (my) Once Upon A Time [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2123649
Kudos: 4





	1. My Season 8

I am completely in love with the tv show Once upon a time. And after its 7th season, the final one, I was wondering... Does it really have to end? I mean sure, the ending was sweet and everything but I just couldn't quite let go of my favourite fictional characters and so I let them live on inside my head, wondering what other adventures might be still awaiting them. this is it, how I would continue the show if I could. See this as... kind of an 8th season (who knows, maybe it'll be even more, depending on how motivated I'll stick to this).

Spoiler alert:

If you haven't seen all of the show, there will be spoilers in this story, since it is basically my continuation of the series finale.

Triggerwarning:

There will be violence in this.

Also, I do not own any of the original Once upon a time charakters, only my OCs.

So... I'll try to update the story regularly. Have fun reading and feel free to leave a comment or some constructive criticism :)


	2. The Prophecy

A child born from twilight  
Equilibrium of darkness and light  
To slay the demons  
And challenge the night  
Blood of pure chaos  
Blood of true love  
Heir to the crystal  
Bring back the once lost


	3. And so it begins...

The chaos that roamed the streets just a moment ago was now gone. People who were yelling at one another for barely a reason now just stood still as the revelation dawned on them. Something had happened. Something had changed in the air around them. It was barely noticeable but it was still there, for sure. Was it just a change in the wind? Maybe the smell of something rotting away in one of the dark alleys since nobody ever cared to dispose of all the waste lying around everywhere. Or was it something that couldn't be really seen or heard or smelled? It was hope, the knowledge that things could change, or rather would change. And so their faces changed, from undeniable anger and fear to smiles of hope, eyes looking forward to see better days. And so they smiled, looking up to the sky, all of them except…

"No, no, no, no, NO!" He stormed down the dark corridor, anger defining every fine line in his pale face. "This can't be happening, this is not true! Get out of my way you useless morons!" His voice was deep and loud and above all terrifying. It was the voice of a mad man. A user of the dark arts who was completely consumed by the utter terror he had inflicted on an entire population. His steps echoed heavily through the empty halls. And it was as though that sound was mocking him with every step he took towards that godforsaken dungeon beneath his castle. "I'm going to fix this. I promise all of you SOMEONE will PAY for this. I can't let something like this happen right under my nose." And those were the last words he spoke to someone who wasn't really there, before he opened a huge and heavy door and stepped into a dark room. There were no windows, no torches, no light at all, just complete darkness. But did it matter to him? No, of course not. After all, he was the one. The one that nobody dared to name in fear of his wrath for trying to turn his infinite power into something that could be named. Because as everybody knew, or rather should have known, what can be named, can be put into some kind of a form. And every form could be destroyed. But his power had no form. It was everywhere, infinite, indestructible. With a flick of his finger a light appeared. It was very faint, barely enough to see the ground beneath his feet. "What is this trick of yours. Tell me and DON'T dare to lie." Angry couldn't even describe his face anymore. He was furious, completely out of his mind. But from the darkness in front of him came nothing. No word, no breathing being heard, no sound at all, just silence. "you witch better talk to me now or I will make you suffer in a way you never thought be possible. I said TELL ME what is going on!" suddenly, just for a second, something moved. And within just a second she was there, standing right in front of him, starring him straight in the eyes.

"A child born from twilight,  
equilibrium of darkness and light,  
to slay the demons  
and challenge the night.  
Blood of pure chaos,  
blood of true love,  
heir to the crystal,  
bring back the once lost."

Her voice was quiet, barely a whisper, and cold. It even caused him goosebumps and nothing could ever make him shiver that way. Nothing could ever make him shiver at all, except from this ungrateful witch, prisoner of his. Oh he should have killed her a long time ago but her words, the same cursed words back then as they were now. He always had been drawn to this woman, since she was different than the others. She had a potential that no one else ever could have had. Yes, he should have killed her back then, prolonged his life and become more powerful than he could have dreamed of. But it was the moment she first said those words, a prophecy brought to him by his brightest student, telling him of his death. It was this moment he knew, that no matter how much he wished for her death, he would need her again. And this was it, this was the time when she would help him fight this hideous prophecy of hers. "I didn't ask you to repeat your words, I want to know what is going on. What is this strange energy lingering in the air outside?" A ominous feeling started to pulsate from the crystal on his chest, a feeling that burned itself into her head. Sharp pain taking over her body but she couldn't move, couldn't breathe, could only stand still and stare as desperation took over her, as it had done many times before. Except, it didn't. She pulled herself together and through the pain she gritted her teeth, forced herself to smile and laugh in a frightening way. "It is here, you can feel it. This is the beginning of your end and there is nothing you can do to stop it now." Oh, she challenged him. As much as she upset him, he kind of liked it. Since she gave him just another reason to make her suffer even greater pain than before. A smile took the place of his fury, as her laugh turned into a scream of pain as he had rarely heard before. The way that only this woman could scream and he enjoyed every second of it. No more questioning her now, he thought to himself, as he turned around and left the room, the heavy door falling into its place right behind him. He was still angry about this prophecy bullshit, but her screams made him feel a little better now. There was nobody in the entire realm who could challenge him, nobody to take away what was rightfully his. Little did he know that there was more to life than one cursed measly realm. But his former student on the other hand, oh she knew. She had known ever since the ether had touched her heart for the first time, ever since she received the gift of seeing from her one true god. Even if the entire population thought their gods had left them to this hell of an existence, she knew better than that. They never left, just needed some time to hide away and create a way to claim back what was theirs. And she played a big part in this greater plan, for she was their vessel, acting on their command.


	4. Hope

Sun was shining through her closed eye lids and she knew it was time to get up and face another day. But she couldn't, didn't want to. It was just too comfy there, in bed, with him. And as if he had heard her thoughts she could feel the arm around her waist getting tighter, pulling her closer towards the one laying behind her. "Good morning beautiful." He whispered against her ear, where his warm breath left a tingling feeling. A chuckle escaped her, but she didn't dare moving, savouring every second she could spend with him. Even when his soft lips started touching her neck, moving upwards and searching for her own, she didn't dare open her eyes, too scared the moment could come to an end. So she just enjoyed his kisses blindly, sinking in every touch of his. "I missed you." His words a mere whisper against her lips. She wanted to answer him, tell him how much she missed him to, but her voice stayed silent. Again she tried to say something but no words would leave her mouth. "It's ok, you don't have to say anything. I know you can't" Confusion swept over her and without thinking it through she opened her eyes, only to find herself alone.

"Oh not again." she sighed, knowing all to well that what had happened was just a dream. A dream that was long gone and could never become reality. He was long gone, dead, his soul destroyed. Yet there was nothing she could do to prevent those dreams from happening. And if she were honest with herself, she didn't want those dreams gone, since they were all she had left of him. Slowly, with a lingering memory of his touch on her mind, she got up and out of bed. "Well at least the sunlight wasn't a dream." She whispered to herself as she stepped towards the window, taking a look outside. It was a beautiful day, perfect for a little trip. Henry and Ella were going away for a couple days and she had volunteered to take care of Lucy. She had promised the girl they would go an a trip themselves, just like her parents. She loved spending time with Lucy, since it reminded her so much of when Henry was just a little boy. The time before Emma came into their life, the time before he found out who she used to be. Of course, she didn't mind all the things that had happened, since they all led to what she had now. And she loved her big, chaotic family, wouldn't give it up for anything. With pictures of everyone coming to her mind, she started to get dressed. Wouldn't want to waste any second of this beautiful day, especially since the last days haven't been as sunny as this one.

She was about to enter the dining hall, when quick steps could be heard, coming straight towards her and when she turned around, she looked into her own face. "Regina, You have to help me." Her former evil twin looked like a mess. She had black tear streaks all over her face, a combination of sadness, anger and fear in her eyes. And Regina couldn't remember if she had ever heard her voice tremble like that. "She's gone, just gone! One moment she was there, then I turned my back on her for one second and suddenly she was gone!" Regina had no idea what her lookalike was talking about so she just watched her, confused. "Who is gone? Who are you talking about?" Another well of tears was building up in her evil twins eyes, as she threw her arms around Regina, who was even more confused by that. "My girl, somebody took my baby girl, Regina, she's gone." Nothing made sense. First, she hadn't seen the other Regina in over a year and now she was talking about a baby, while looking completely emotionally messed up. Just as she was about to ask her what the hell she meant by that, more steps were heard accompanied by frantic voices. "Regina, something has happened! You have to-" suddenly the voice broke off. "Oh." Snow stopped came to a stop as she saw the queen and the other queen holding each other. Or it was more like Regina comforting her former evil self. It was certainly a picture one had to get used to. Shortly behind Snow followed David and by his side Robin, the other Robin. "Ok, hold on, everybody, just give me a second to breath and then tell be what's going on. And PLEASE start from the beginning because right now, I am just so confused." Robin came over to her and gently pulled his wife away from Regina and into his own arms. "Hey, it's ok, we will find her." He whispered into her ear, comforting her, while he threw an apologetic look at Regina.

They all sat down and after Reginas twin had calmed down a little Robin started talking. "About a year ago, shortly after you united the realms, Gina and I got married." Snows eyes grew big as she broke into a grin. "Congratulations you two." She probably wanted to say more, but then the atmosphere changed back to serious, as Robin continued. "And shortly after, something else happened. Regina was pregnant. We didn't think it was possible. Well, I don't have to tell you why it seemed impossible, but it happened. And two months ago our we got our baby girl." Beside him, the other Regina broke into another sob as Robin mentioned their daughter. While Snow and David seemed torn between being happy for the great news and shocked about the disappearance of the child, Regina didn't know how to feel about it. Hearing about them being married felt like being stabbed in the heart. But then, they also had a child together, something that should have been impossible after what Regina had done to herself all those years ago. For a moment it felt like there was no air around her, she couldn't breathe. But she had to. Now was not the time to get jealous and angry. Her visitors were in distress and they wanted her to help them. "Do you have any clue of her whereabouts?" That was all she could manage to say. "NO! That is why we are here. I have looked everywhere. Casted every spell I could think of to find her or any trace of her. But there was NOTHING. It is as if she was there one moment and the next she didn't exist anymore!" That was strange. If somebody had taken the child, there had to be some clue. And if there was none it could mean only one thing. Whoever had taken the baby was powerful, probably even more powerful than Regina. But who could possibly possess such a power, now that the dark one was dead. "And you are asking for my help why exactly? I mean, what could I do, that you couldn't do yourself?" They locked eyes, Regina and her twin. "You were the only person I could think of. As you might know, I don't have many friends or allies. But you-" She looked devastated but Regina could understand why. If Henry were the one to disappear- Hell he was the one who got kidnapped not just once and it had made herself so furious. "I didn't mean to say- well, alright. I'll help you find her. I just need to figure out how. I'll start right away, looking through my books if I can find anything that might help." Robin and the other Regina looked at each other, hopeful, then turned towards her. "Thank you. Thank you so much." Just this moment someone else joined the group. "Woah, what is going on here. I thought we were going on a trip." Lucy looked at everybody, a little confused to see two Reginas. But she chose not to say anything about it, since the whole situation seemed a little odd. "Honey, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that has to wait. Something has come up." The girl looked a little disappointed but didn't say anything. "Hey, maybe you could help me though. Do you know where Emma is right now? Could you maybe tell her to meet me in the library?" Lucy nodded and ran straight off, without asking why. "Hey, maybe your sister could help too. I mean, she's a powerful witch after all." David said and Regina agreed. The more people helped, the more likely it was they got to the bottom of this. "Hey, how about you two try to relax. We will do everything we can to find her, after all she's family. You are family." Regina said to the devastated couple, as they all got up. "By the way, what did you call her, your daughter?" Regina never thought about how she would call her daughter if she ever had one. Having a child, besides Henry, was never really an option. "Hope, her Name is Hope." Both parents stated in unison.


	5. And again, a world without magic

"Can you believe it? I mean, they are married AND they have a daughter?" A restless Queen went up and down through the aisles of her magical library, while Emma was sitting at a table looking through some books. "Why didn't they invite me? I mean, by now I thought my other me and I were… I don't know, maybe friends or something? At least she could have invited me for the reason that she and I used to be the same person. And how the hell is it possible that they have a child. It can't be. It's simply impossible!" She barely took a breath and Emma wondered how long it would take until she would pass out from hyperventilation. Finally Regina came to a stop next to the blonde. "I just don't understand. It's so confusing." She's had enough. Emma slammed shut the book she currently had in front of her and as expected the queen turned to look at her. "Ok, what's the deal? I mean, sure she didn't invite you. But neither was any of us. Maybe they just wanted the wedding to be a small thing, something for themselves and nobody else. But what is that other thing you keep mentioning about a baby being impossible. Because the way they are talking about it, it sure as hell did happen." There was something in Regina's eyes, her emotions seemed to be changing, it was clear to see for Emma. For a moment she was struggling what to say but then she settled on sitting down, right in front of the other woman. "I can't have children." The air around them was changing. The sadness in Regina's voice was almost overwhelming. Emma never really thought about it until now. If Regina really had wanted a child, why adopt? Sure, it had been the fastest way and also less painful. But now she started seeing this whole situation with their son in a completely different way. "Many years ago my mother tried to trick me into having a child with some guy. Of course I saw through her trick. But she led me to do something stupid." For a moment Emma could see the tears, just before Regina looked away, trying to hide her face. "I drank a potion. A potion to ensure I would never get pregnant. It left me infertile." A silence followed that sentence, neither of the women knowing what to say or what to do, but then Emma couldn't take it anymore. "I am so sorry Regina, I had no idea. Apparently there is a lot that I still don't know about you. And about the horrors Cora had put you through." She tried to grab Regina's hand to comfort her a little, but the dark haired woman pulled away, abruptly standing up again. "You're right, there is a lot you don't know. And you don't have to. The past is the past and there's nothing we can do to change that. Of course I am happy for the other me. But it still..." "Hurts?" Emma completed the sentence, when Regina couldn't. "Yes, exactly. It kind of hurts."

"Just that moment the library doors swung open and some more people stormed in. "We heard what has happened and it truly sounds strange. Now what can we do to help, little sister?" Besides Zelena was the blue fairy and right behind them Tinkerbell and Henry. "I've given your twin something to calm down for now. As for the Baby situation. I might have something that could help." Regina and Emma turned towards the blue fairy, who seemed quite confident in herself, as usual. "Really? Why haven't you told me on our way here?" Zelena wondered, but instead of answering her the blue fairy waited until everybody was gathered around her. "Actually it was Tinkerbell's idea. Maybe pixie dust can help us." It seemed like a simple solution actually, definitely worth a try. "Just like all those years ago, when I helped you find your soulmate, Regina. If we use it to find your baby, I mean your… emtwins/em baby, it should lead us straight to the girl." There was no time to waste, so they all gave the fairies some space to cast their spell and for a moment a green glow appeared in the air. But strangely it didn't move. It seemed to have no intention of moving at all. And then all of a sudden it started to change it's shape, while glowing in different colors. "Well that is something new I haven't seen before." The blue fairy seemed genuinely confused about what was happening in front of their eyes. "It doesn't feel quite right either." stated Zelena. "If the dust isn't moving to the place the girl is, this can only mean one thing." Regina's voice was low, a little sad and serious. "No, maybe not." Sure, Henry had to be the optimistic one. "Maybe it isn't looking for her in this land, because she's not here. My mom, the other Regina said, that one moment she was there, the next she had disappeared into air. Maybe she somehow was transported into another land, another realm that is not a part of our Land." And as if his words had summoned it, the pixie dust changed again. It formed a circle of sorts and in the center of it a picture appeared. It was the picture of a baby, laying on a porch and crying, when suddenly a door opened and a woman noticed the child. "Oh? Who are you little butterfly? What's the matter, did someone leave you here? Come here little one, it's cold outside you must be freezing. And maybe you're a little hungry too?" And with that the vision ended. "Was that it? Was that the girl that's missing?" For some reason everybody looked at Regina, probably expecting her to answer the question. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm not the mother. You should ask other me."

Together they made their way back to the worrying parents and repeated the trick with the fairy dust. At first it seemed as if it wouldn't work, but then another vision was shown. The woman from before was sitting in a small living room, holding the baby in her arms and singing to it. Regina's lookalike gasped. "That's her, that's my baby girl? Who is that woman. Did she take her? Where is she, I'm gonna make her pay for kidnapping my daughter!" But Robin's hand on her arm calmed her down a bit. And then it was Emma who spoke up: "No, I don't think she took her. Before, in the library, we saw how that woman found your baby. She didn't take her from you she just took her in to save her." And she was right. It wasn't that woman who took the baby and brought her to that place, wherever that place was.

Meanwhile in a lovingly furnished yet empty baby room, a dark figure appeared. "So this is it?" He took a few steps through the room, touching some of the stuff and soaking in the energy left there. "This is where the one from the prophecy is supposed to be? Looks like the room of a baby, perfect age to destroy it without too much trouble. The only question is, if it is not here, then where else should I look?" But just as he said that, a familiar energy signature overwhelmed him and the crystal on his chest began to glow. "No, that's not possible. How did she-? Oh she's going to regret that. I will make her suffer for her betrayal." And just as sudden as he had appeared, now he was gone.

"I don't want to disappoint you or anything, but that place kind of looked like the world without magic we used to live in. I mean, have you seen the TV in the background and the clothes that woman was wearing?" It was snow white who had joined the group, who had said what nobody else dared to speak out loud. "But how the hell did she end up there? Someone really powerful must have taken her to that place because there is no way to open a portal of some sort, right Regina?" Emma was right, there was no way. Regina had done everything to keep this world, the united realms save. There should have been no way to get out and into another realm or world, except… Maybe with a magic bean, but who would do that, use a bean to transport a baby into a land without magic. "We have to go there and get her back. I need my baby back, she belongs with us." Regina's twin was once again crying, understandable of course. But how exactly should they do that? Sure, they could use a bean to get there, but how should they find the girl without their magic powers? And more importantly, what if whoever had taken the child was there and making sure that no one would take her back? Then again, why was the girl taken in the first place? There were so many questions to be answered. And there were quite many precautions they had to take before jumping in blindly. They had to know at least some part of the story in order to get the girl back in one piece. And just like somebody heard those thoughts, the vision of the woman and the baby changed. It turned black and white letters something was written there.

"Leave her alone  
"For she is the one."

"What?" An outraged queen let off a scream. "This is MY daughter and I WILL get her back. She belongs here with her parents and I will not allow some sparkling glitter to tell me what to do. We are going to that place NOW and take her back!" It was not easy, but Robin somehow managed to hold back his wife who, by now, looked quite furious. The writing in the vision changed

"A child born from twilight,  
equilibrium of darkness and light,  
to slay the demons  
and challenge the night.  
Blood of pure chaos,  
blood of true love,  
heir to the crystal,  
bring back the once lost."

Nobody knew what to make of that. It sounded like some kind of prophecy and apparently the baby was supposed to be the one, some kind of savior. And just as quick as the prophecy had appeared, the words changed back to the ones before:

"Leave her alone  
For she is the one.

"The hell I'm gonna do. Regina, you're gonna help me, aren't you? You are kind of Hope's aunt, you have to help me get her back." She really sounded desperate. And she was right, the girl was family. The former evil queen barely knew anything about the world without magic and how to blend in there. So they couldn't let her go alone. "Ok, I'm going with you to get her. But we should be careful. I have no idea what these words mean and quite frankly I am a little scared that there's much, much more to the story." Snow was the fastest to protest. "You can't go away Regina. Who knows how long it will take you to get the girl and come back. You're the Queen. Your kingdom needs you." And she wasn't the only one. The others were quick to join in Snow's pleas, except for two people. Emma and Robin, although both of them had their own reasons. While the father of the child obviously wanted his baby back, Emma immediately felt somehow connected to it. This prophecy was very clear. This baby girl was supposed to be a savior and someone tried to make damn sure, that it would grow up to be old enough for the prophecy to come true. She knew what it was like to be a savior, not being able to decide their own fate like that. She wouldn't let that girl face her fate unprepared like she had to a couple years ago. "I'll come with you. If there should be someone trying to protect the child, you might need all the help you can get and I have lived a fair share of my life in this world without magic." Like her, Robin also said to come with. He would do anything to get their little girl back. "Snow, you're the princess. And you are an amazing leader. I think that, in my absence you will do a wonderful job leading this kingdom. Also we will make sure to return quickly, I promise." Snow was not really into the idea of stepping into Regina's place as queen, but she knew her former step mother all to well by now. She knew that there was no way of changing her mind, after all, this was about family. "Three powerful magic users and a thief in a world without magic, that does kind of sound like the beginning of a bad joke. Of course it's not, this is a serious matter and so I will come with you. I have to say, I am a little bored here, with my little Robin all grown up and out of the house, no enemies to destroy and nobody to curse since I turned to the good side. This, however, sounds like an adventure. And If you are the girls aunt, Regina, than so am I." Zelena was not the last one who wanted to join the rescue team but before Henry could say a word, and Regina knew he wanted to, she stopped him. "The others should stay here. We can't let too many of us go into that world. If someone were to come here, trying to prevent us from getting the girl back, if there was some kind of threat, I'd rather have somebody here who can fight. And also five of us is quite enough. We shouldn't raise any suspicion in that land. It could be the one where Storybrook was, but it could also be a different one, with rules we don't know." And she was right, everybody knew that. They couldn't all leave and so it was settled. The five decided to take one more nights rest, since it was late already, and then leave first thing in the morning. Hopefully they wouldn't take long to find the girl and come back to their united realms. Every time outside of there posed a potential threat to what they had. And the were not about to loose their peace to anybody.


	6. Lost

(This one is a little shorter. It's also a new character, so don't be confused :) She will be sorta important later on in the story.)

A fragment of a soul, all alone and lost, floating through an endless stream of energy. Here and there it hit something but a collision wasn't really possible. Instead that little broken soul just seeped through, like water through a colander. There was nothing of the person left, this little fragment used to be. Or at least it seemed like it, most of the time. But sometimes, every couple months or so, a little memory came back. It didn't exactly remember, for it was too damaged to remember properly, but there was this feeling it couldn't shake. That broken little soul just knew, that it used to be a person once. A person who had a name, a life, with feelings, lots and lots of feelings. And now it was merely a shadow of something that wasn't even alive anymore. Doomed to be lost, to roam around empty and busy streets, absent of time and space, occasionally watching the people, actual people who were alive and well. And every once in a while there was this longing, a faint memory, just far enough away to be there yet out of reach. What this lost little broken soul didn't know yet was that things were about to change. Its existence was about to change and what once was lost would soon return.

In a white room she opened her eyes, not knowing how she got there. But there were people gathering around, looking at her with tears of fear and hope in their eyes. "You're back, we were so worried. How could you do this to us?" An elderly woman with short red hair said. Next to her an older Man stopped the woman. "Cut her some slack. It wasn't her fault. Let's just be glad we got her back, ok?" And then there was this guy, who up until now had just been starring. He suddenly came onto her, hugging her. "I was so scared, honey. When I heard what had happened to you I-" He didn't finish his sentence, for tears took his voice away. This felt wrong, so completely wrong. Finally she managed to use her voice by saying: "Who are you people?" Gasps were heard and everybody again stared at her. "You don't know who we are?" It took her a moment to realize, that wasn't the only thing she couldn't remember. "No, I don't really know anything. Like… Who am I?" She tried to think of what had happened before she got here, the last time she looked in a mirror or the last time someone had called her name. But there was nothing, no memory whatsoever. "Maybe this is a result of the accident. Probably won't last long. I'm sure your memories will return. Wait a second, I'm gonna go get the doctor." And so the elderly woman was gone. "You really don't know who I am?" It was a mere whisper, but she could tell that it really hurt the guy, sitting at her bed. She took a minute to look at him closely. His hair was blonde and short, crystal blue eyes starring at her, a short beard that was actually reddish in color. He was holding her hand, while starring at her and it kind of freaked her out. So she pulled back a little. "Could you please not?" That was all she managed to say before she realized, it probably really hurt him. He seemed to care a big deal about her. Was he her brother? Or maybe a boyfriend? The latter one really sounded strange and inappropriate. She didn't, couldn't have a boyfriend. There was simply no way. When she looked at this guy she felt absolutely nothing except the urge to run away. Someone else entered the room. A young female doctor with dark hair and dark eyes. Now that one she felt kind of attracted to, unlike the guy sitting on the edge of her bed. "Can you tell me your name?" The doctor asked. But she couldn't answer so she just shook her head. "Can you tell me anything about yourself?" Again, the answer was no. "Well it seems that you are suffering from amnesia caused by the accident. You do have a concussion. Other than that you seem to be fine. No broken bones, no major injuries. You are free to go home with your family. Just please come back for your regular checkups. Especially the concussion can be a real pain in the ass. The doctor smiled at her, hoping for some kind of reaction. "Do we know each other? I mean, you do look kind of familiar." That's all she could bring herself to say and it did get a reaction out of the doctor. "Yes, actually we have been friends for a very long time. See, that amnesia thing seems to be wearing off already if you remember me. Now go home with your family and get some rest. I'll call you later to check up on you." With that the attractive woman was gone, leaving her with all those strangers. No, they were no strangers. They were her family She just had to give it some time for her memories to come back to her.


	7. Alien Invasion

The next day came and it didn't take long for everyone to gather. Probably none of them had a good night sleep, if they even slept at all. Some of them grieving and afraid, others just worried. Now however they were waiting for their magic beans to arrive. It was the green fairy, Tinkerbell, who went to get them from Anton, or Tiny, however one decided to call him. At first it was said to destroy any way to make a portal, for every time someone would leave this world, it posed a potential threat. But after some time he began building a new field of beans, just to be save in a case of emergency. Now that emergency had come and here they were. Five heroes, or kind of heroes, ready to leave all their power and safety behind. "How long can it take her to fly over there and get those goddamn beans. Did she stop for coffee along the way or what?" It was the other Regina, who was restless, not wanting to waste another second. "It's ok, my love. Everything will be ok." They did make a cute couple, Regina thought to herself, wondering if she and her Robin had looked and acted like that. If he was still alive, would they have gotten married? Would they even have had a child together? No, she couldn't cloud her mind with thoughts like that. She had to stay focused, especially since that kind of dreams and wishes would never come true.

"A green gleam caught their attention, as Tinkerbell finally arrived in the courtyard. "Oh finally, the green moth decided to join us after all. So where are the beans? I want to get my daughter back, preferably today!" Tink looked a little hurt and glanced over to her Queen. "Well I'm gonna let this slide because I know your temper by now. Especially when it comes to loved ones." Regina gave her an acknowledging nod and went towards her in order to take what would bring them to their destination. "Before you go, are you sure you are prepared for this? The bean will only bring you into the other world, not necessarily to where the baby is. You will have to find her the hard way." Now she looked at the mother of the missing girl. "And by that I mean without magic and probably without attracting too much attention." The evil queen only glared at her but Emma spoke up. "Well first off, you're right. We should change our clothes." With that she suddenly was back in her old leather jacket. "Damn, it's been a while since I wore this. And secondly, finding people the hard way, without magic, that's kinda my thing. So no worries there." It definitely was a good thing that Emma had decided to join in this search. Even though she had her own child to think about, hook and her parents were still there with little Hope. Kinda strange to think about it, that the former evil Queen named her daughter the same as she did her little girl. But then again it fitted them both. Since for both of them for a very long time hope was something unimaginable and still both of them got it. And by the way, Hope was a beautiful name. "Emma is right. If there is anybody who can find your baby, there's no one better suited for the job than her." Regina stood behind her, knowing very well of the things Emma was capable doing.

In a cloud of purple fog now suddenly the other Regina and Robin appeared in casual, non magic worldly clothes. "Great, we have an excellent tracking dog with us. Now can we go please?" The way her moods changed from annoyed to overly emotional to annoyingly mean was kind of nerve wrecking. Regina couldn't help but wonder if the others had felt that way with her long before she became the person she was today. However, it didn't seem to matter now. After she and Zelena changed their clothes as well and everybody was sure to have said goodbye to whomever they left behind for now, the journey could start. Regina, who held the beans, threw one of them to the ground and immediately a greed swirl started to build up in front of them. "Well, here we go again." Emma said, as they all jumped into the portal, one by one.

It only took a couple seconds and then they were standing in a dark alley, no other person to be seen. "Oh I already can't feel my magic anymore. Remind me why I wanted to tag along?" Zelena said with a hint of disgust to being powerless. "If I remember correctly you were bored. Also, this is about family. Your niece, Zelena." She got quiet and everybody got very serious. "Well first off, we should try and find out where the hell we are. And then we should look for a place to stay." It was a rather rational way of thinking, that Emma had shared with the others but there were some people in the group, who didn't agree. "A place to stay? I have no intention to stay. I just want to get our little girl and take her back home." A sigh escaped Regina's lips as she turned towards her twin. "Look up, see the moon in the sky? It's the middle of the night here. We have no idea where we are, no idea where to start looking. If we run out into this world without thinking it through, without a plan, then it will take much longer to find hope than going in strategically. You want her back fast, then you better listen to Emma." It was visible that the other Regina wanted to reply to that but Robin stopped her. "Ok, whatever is best, if it gets us to our daughter fast, we'll do as you say." With that it was settled. They needed to find a place to stay and assess their situation. Good thing Regina had brought her old credit card from back in the days when she was a wealthy mayor.

Just a moment earlier…

It was true, all of it was real. Why did nobody ever believe him? Sure, he had one too many to drink. Maybe he was a little drunk but that didn't make his stories any less valid. Especially since they weren't just his stories. He was just one of many, a huge underground group of believers. And his drinking had nothing to do with his believes anyway. But the others couldn't understand. They had no idea what it was like to almost lose your fiance, only for her to look at you like you were a stranger. No, it wasn't just that. He could see it in her eyes. For some reason she was disgusted by him. Of cause he had to find a way to numb his senses. And that way was called alcohol.

After another night of drunkenly telling his friends of aliens and conspiracies, in order to forget his problems, he somehow ended up in that dark alley. He was sitting on the ground, leaning against a dumpster, almost about to pass out, when he had the strangest of feelings. There was a green light, that caught his attention and as he cautiously took a peek he couldn't believe his eyes. A green swirl had appeared out of nowhere and spit out a hand full of people. One man and four woman. At least they looked like it. But what they really were, he couldn't tell. Maybe this was it, the beginning of the alien invasion he had always told everyone about. This was his chance to prove everybody that he was right, not a total screw up. But there was five of these guys and he was all alone. There was no way he could just confront them. For now he had to stay low, keep watching them from the shadows. The right moment would come, an opportunity to find out more about those alien people.


	8. Spark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.pinterest.de/pin/663647695088905260/

They were in luck. Not far from where the five had landed, there was a hotel still taking in guests. Although the receptionist looked a little confused at the group and their missing luggage. Apparently this was quite a nice hotel, expensive, not the kind of place where people spontaneously came to spend just one night. But here they were, not knowing whether it would be just one night or more. They got themselves four separate rooms and after Regina's twin went first saying her name to the receptionist, she decided to go with her last curse name, Roni.

As the others went to their rooms, exhausted and anxious, Regina didn't think she could sleep just yet. There were too many things on her mind, irritating her. Sure, she was happy for her twin, for having found that happiness with the other Robin. But the envy she felt for her was still there, sitting inside her chest and not wanting to leave. "Excuse me, is there some place around here, where I can have a drink?" Maybe the man saw the sadness and the trouble in her eyes, maybe he didn't. Nevertheless, his facial muscles relaxed a little and he gave her a soft smile. Sure, there is this bar. When you leave the hotel and turn to the right, just go down the street. It's a walk of about five minutes max. There are a couple other ones as well, but that is for sure the nicest one. If you want to get a clear head, just some place to relax without worrying about possible company, that's the place to go to. It's called MidnightHour. You can't miss it." She thanked him and went towards her new destination.

Some other person, some other place…

She had been sitting in Front of the mirror for hours again. Today she had spent with the doctor, apparently her best friend. Her name was Lizbeth and they had been friends since early childhood. Yet she didn't remember a thing about that woman. But Liz seemed to know everything about her. First, she helped her get dressed in a nice outfit and then they went out for a coffee. Now she was here alone, starring at her reflection and wondering why all of this was happening to her.

"My name is Addison, Addison Bletchley." She whispered to herself repeatedly. But those words, that name, it felt wrong. The blue dress she wore was kind of cute, just like the turquoise ribbon in her long red hair. And then there were her eyes, those big blue eyes. Nothing about her own appearance seemed familiar at all. It had been a week now and no memories had come back yet. Everybody was so nice to her, trying their best to help. But they didn't really help. In fact, she felt suffocated. She could still remember being released from the hospital and coming 'home'. There were pictures everywhere of her and her family. And there was one in particular, with that man in it. The one who she later found out to be her fiancé. He seemed desperate for her love, always talking about all the things they had done together. But whenever she saw him, there was nothing. No spark, no joy, actually she hated having him around. She didn't want him to touch or even talk to her. All she wanted was to be left alone. But just as that thought had crossed her mind, she could hear a door open.

"Honey, I'm home." Suddenly she was overcome by the urge to run away. "Hey, what are you doing, sitting on the floor?" He came closer in a way suggesting he was about to hug her. But she just couldn't. Suddenly Addison jumped up on her feet, ran past him, grabbed a jacket and her purse and left the apartment. That poor guy's heart was probably broken now, but she didn't care much. She couldn't care otherwise she might never find out who she really was. Everybody just tried to put her in that box wearing her name and her face, but what if all of that really was a lie? Right now she did not feel like Addison Bletchley at all. And who knows, maybe Addison Bletchley was dead, gone forever. What if her memories, her former personality never came back? Who she was now, that was all she had. And she had to keep all of that to stay sane and not lose it right now.

Probably some more hours had passed as she was walking through the streets. The moon had already risen. A beautiful bright full moon up in that dark, almost black sky. Just as she stopped moving to watch the moon, a sign caught her attention, saying MidnightHour. It was a bar and felt kinda fitting for her current mood. While she was here already, why not have a drink or two, get the thoughts out of her head and enjoy the moment. The interior was simple and very cozy. The color palette of the place was subtle, just like the decoration. It looked simple yet very homely in a way. Slow rock music was playing, but quiet enough to have a normal conversation if wanted. There were a hand full people here, some couples sitting in corners, a group of young women and then there was one Woman in particular, who caught Addison's eye. She had dark curly hair that hang loosen her shoulders. A pair of jeans and a black tank top perfectly complimented her slim figure. And she was sitting there all alone, drinking, with a troubled look in her eyes. It was a look, she more than understood, since it was the same one that she had seen in her own eyes before, while sitting in front of that mirror. For some reason Addison sat down on the chair right next to that woman, ordered a drink and then sipped it in silence.

It was only when she had her second one that she found the courage to speak up. "Hey." At first it seemed like the dark haired woman wasn't gonna respond, but then she slowly turned her head and looked her in the eyes. "Hey." They looked at each other for a while, before Addison continued talking. "Why is someone like you sitting here all alone? This is the third one you had since I came here." She nodded to the others glass before taking another sip of her own. "Had to get some things off my mind. You?" "Same" there wasn't much conversation between the two, as they kept sitting there sipping their drinks. "I'm Addison by the way." She finally introduced herself. "Re- I mean Roni. I'm Roni."

The barkeeper came back, offering them new drinks. "God, you two really look like you had bad days. Wanna talk about it? I don't know if you've heard of this before but barkeepers are really good at listening to their customers stories." Regina snorted. "Yeah, I know. I used to own a bar myself. This one actually reminds me of it a little." Addison looked at her a little surprised, just like the Barkeeper. "Really, do tell me more. Used to, that means you don't anymore?" Regina looked up to him, not sure what to answer to that. But then she found the right words. "Well, some things happened and I chose to be with my family. They needed me. It's a long story. And believe me, far too long to be told now." He seemed to be ok with that answer and didn't pry any further. "And what about you? Not a former bar owner as well, are you?" Addison shook her head. "Actually I have no idea. About a week ago I woke up in the hospital. That and everything that happened since then are all I know about my life." Regina looked up at her in surprise. "Really? Why? What happened?" Somebody else called for the barkeeper so he left the two of them alone again. "Well, what I was told is, that I had an accident." She looked down at her drink, a sad look on her face. "And you like… really don't remember a thing?"

For a moment Regina thought back to the many times she was cursed. Every time she was robbed of her memories. But not ever did she have no memories at all. There was always at least something, even if it were fake memories. "Everybody expects me to be Addison, this woman I used to be. But the more they tell me about her, the less I identify with her. I mean for gods sake, look at me. This dress? My hair style? This stupid ribbon? My supposed best friend told me this used to be my favorite outfit but I'd rather put on some cargo pants, Boots, a simple shirt or hoodie. I look like this girly girl but I don't feel like it. Oh and I am engaged to this guy. A guy who absolutely disgusts me for no reason. If I'm engaged to him then I must have loved him once but now, I don't feel attracted to him at all." Regina knew that feeling all to well. It was back when she thought the wish realm Robin could be another chance for her. But then she kissed him and it just felt horribly wrong. "Well, congratulations. There are some things in my life that I wish I could forget. Just like that with the snap of my fingers." And just as she said it, she snapped her fingers. But nothing happened. Of course nothing happened. This was a world without magic after all. And even if it weren't, erasing memories took more than just a finger's snap. "Wow, you kinda look like somebody took your heart and crashed it." For some reason Regina started laughing again. Kind of ironic to say that, considering that is exactly, what she used to do to people. "Well, if you must know, I suppose I'm already a little drunk so I might just tell you."

Yeah, the alcohol really did start affecting her already, but not so much that she had no control over herself anymore. No, Regina was absolutely in control. It was that sweet feeling of numbness that gave her the courage to spill her guts to a stranger. "Every man I fall in love with dies." That sounded quite dramatic, but it was the truth. "Well, I had a boyfriend. His name was Robin. He died a while back and I thought I was over it. You know, with the help of family and friends I moved on, decided to choose self-love over self-hate. But now, out of the blue my- my twin sister appeared. She got married. And she had a baby. And I didn't know about any of that." Regina paused to empty her glass. "And suddenly it's all back. The questions, the worries, the weight of my loneliness. Thing is, I'm not alone. I have my son, my friends, my sister- s."

Addison observed everything about that woman. The way her Eyes got all glassy when talking about her deceased boyfriend, the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, how her voice changed when talking about family. "I just can't help but wonder how things would be if he still were here. But he's not and I have to deal with it." A tear escaped her now closed eyes and Addison couldn't stop herself from brushing it away. The brief contact startled Regina a little and caused her some goosebumps. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. It was kind of a reflex." Regina now smiled at the redhead. It was a tired and exhausted smile, but still a sign that despite everything she was ok. "Don't worry. And never excuse yourself for comforting someone else. Good people help others and you really seem like a good person. Anyways, it's getting late. I better get back to the hotel. Maybe I'll be able to catch some sleep after all." That being said she stood up, paid for her drinks and came to a sudden stop, realizing she may have had a drink too much. "Wait, you don't look too good. Let me help you. Where is your hotel, is it far?"

Regina thankfully accepted the other woman's help and together they made their way up the street to where the Hotel was. "Well, considering I don't know anything about you, this was a lovely evening." Regina said, her words a little slurred. It made Addison giggle a little. "Well then, Addison, good night." She smiled at her, knowing all too well, that even though the company was great, the drinks she would regret in the morning. "Addy, please Roni, call me Addy. I am sick of all this Addison crap. I'm gonna be who I want to be and not who everybody expects of me." For a second Regina wasn't sure who she meant by Roni, but then she remembered it was the name she had told her. "Well, that is great to hear. Never let anyone tell you who to be." With those words they said their goodbyes and went separate ways. Regina going straight to her room, falling into bed and as expected, catching some sleep. Addison on the other hand went to her home, relieved to find the apartment empty, no fiancé in sight.


	9. Back Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this, once again, is a shorter chapter. I just had to put Tink in this because I think she is a great character. Also Once upon a time wouldn't be once upon a time without a heroine Child. Grown up Henry being out of the picture that leaves only one... or maybe two? I can't wait to write the interactions between Lucy and young Henry xD anyway, hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoy writing it...

"So, now they're gone." A concerned Tinkerbell sat on a chair, watching Hook and Snow with little Hope, Emma's Daughter. She actually spoke to them, but they totally seemed to ignore her. "I said they are gone. To get the baby back." Neither of them turned to face her, but Snow did respond. "And they will, don't worry" No, this wasn't going anywhere. Nowadays everybody seemed to be obsessed with babies. She had to find someone who would listen to her. Maybe she could ask Henry for help? But wasn't he getting ready for his trip with Ella?

Without anyone noticing she left the room, only to crash into somebody. "Hey, you ok?" It was a sweet and all too familiar voice. "Lucy? What are you doing here?" The little girl looked just as concerned as Tink felt. "Well, something doesn't feel right. I know that the others have gone to get the baby back, but what about the person who took her?" Yes, that was exactly what was worrying Tinkerbell this whole time. What about the kidnapper? She could just come back and get the child again. "You are a very smart girl Lucy. I guess you wanted to tell your great grandmother about it but I'm afraid they don't really want to listen right now." A glimmer appeared in Lucy's eyes. "Well, then maybe it is a mission for us." "Us?!" now that was a ridiculous idea. Lucy was just a kid. What was she supposed to do against whatever dark force was hiding in the unknown. "Well, if you don't mind, I would like to join your party as well." From a corner young Henry appeared. "I do consider myself a good fighter, having trained with a sword for a while now. And I think you can use any help you can get."

Now that was a strange little group to look at. A fairy and two kids. But stranger stories already had been written and heroes come in all shapes and sizes. "So, where do we start?" Lucy sounded excited. Maybe a little too excited but then again, her father wasn't much older when he threw himself into his first adventure. You could say, she was totally daddy's little girl. And this wasn't exactly her first adventure. After all, she already had been through one curse. "Well, we did use some pixie dust to find out where the baby is, right?" The kids looked at Tinkerbell, waiting for her to continue. "Look what I have here, well, it's not much anymore, but hopefully it will do." Henry looked a little confused, for he had never really had much to do with magic. But Lucy's eyes widened. "You are a genius, Tink. Using the pixie dust not to find the baby, but the kidnapper." Now Henry understood, but Tinkerbell did seem a little troubled. "What is it? What are we waiting for?" "Well, Lucy, I'm afraid we can't do this here. There really isn't much left of the dust. So we will have to go to the evil queens castle. More specific to the baby's room. Since the kidnapper had to be in contact to that place somehow, that will be our best shot of getting a result." The two younger ones looked at each other. Both ready to throw themselves into the adventure. "But getting there will take at least a couple days." Henry said. "Only if we take the long way. I hope you two aren't afraid of heights." That being said, a green glimmer appeared around the three of them and suddenly they started floating. "So, any second thoughts? Anybody wanting to stay here?" Nobody said a thing and so they soared off, destination: the evil Queens castle.


End file.
